i'm serious.

musings and reflections about the stuff in life that really matters. seriously.

Monday, November 17, 2003

For those who have not yet heard, Luther College's premier men's a cappella group - Undeclared - was recently chosen as a participant in the International Championships of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA). 18 groups from throughout the Midwest were chosen, and Undeclared hails from the smallest school of those chosen.

"Each year, our 25 competitions take place from the end of January to the end of March in six regions (New England/Central Canada, Northeast, MidAtlantic, South, Midwest and West). Each region holds three quarterfinals that showcase six groups. The top two groups from each quarterfinal advance to the semifinal in their region, and the top group at semifinals advances to finals - which have been held in the historic Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall in New York City." - from the ICCA website.

The Midwest is the only region which does not have secured performance dates, but quarterfinals will be in early February at either the U. of Illinois or the U. of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Isn't that cool? At the competitions they give out several awards, one of which is a "Best Vocal Percussion" award... you know I want to win that. BAD.

I didn't get any homework done this weekend, which is unfotunate, but I did get lots done. I bought SSX 3, which is an awesome game, and I got a bunch of other stuff too. Basically I spent the entire afternoon Saturday hanging out with my mom - raking, shopping, etc. It was a good day. I ate dinner with Hannah and her friend Maggie and Maggie's boyfriend Brandon (who is in the Marines, and was one of the first inside Saddam's palaces earlier this year, I kid you not) at Cheddar's and later that night we rented and watched "Finding Nemo" even though we all saw it together this summer. It was just as good as the first time.

Now I am back at school. Jason Mraz performs here tonight, and the more I think about it, the less I want to be a part of the mob crowd that hangs out right in front of the stage and the more I want to hang out in the back and just enjoy the music and relax. I have been looking at his setlists from the past few weeks, and he has been performing "1,000 Things" at almost every one, so maybe he will tonight.

It's only one week until Thanksgiving break... only one more week that I have to focus on schoolwork. Hopefully SSX 3 will not be too much of a distraction.

Friday, November 14, 2003

It's been a while since I have actually posted a real post. Sorry 'bout that.

I am going to Cedar Falls tomorrow (Friday) night to see my high school football team play at the UNI-Dome in the playoffs. I'll meet Hannah there and then take her back to West Des Moines for the weekend. She has dance camp for show choir all day Saturday (8am - 10pm to be quite exact), so I have some rather large plans for myself. I am planning on buying SSX 3, a sweet snowboarding game and playing it for a good portion of the day. I also hope, however, to get write a paper or two and do some reading for school. I really want and need to get that stuff done, so if you see me or talk to me before this weekend, encourage me to not waste my life inside a meaningless video game. Thanks.

I'm really pumped for Thanksgiving break. Why? Because breaks are awesome, stupid. Why else? After Thanksgiving break, with the exception of finals week, it's all downhill... and before you know it, it's Christmas break. I am getting bored with school. Maybe it's just the daily routine. Whatever it is, I need a break. Or two.

After a huge month-long orderal, Hannah's finger has completely healed, and it looks and works perfectly.

Jason Mraz graces the campus of Luther on Monday. It brings me back memories of me and my buddy Shawn buying tickets to see Mraz in Madison last April, and then a ridiculously random blizzard blew across the upper midwest. One hour and about 20 miles into the trip, and after nearly dying more than a couple times, we decided we should turn around. %!^@*(!^!%!$ Seventeen bucks down the drain. This Monday will redeem our foiled journey. I am wondering what songs he will play... I really hope he plays the following: 1,000 Things, After an Afternoon, At Last ---> Sleep All Day, The Boy Is Gone, and pretty much anything else on "Waiting for My Rocket to Come." We shall see.

Shick® has debuted the Quattro... how long must we wait for Gillette to unveil its own four-bladed shaving machine? The question everyone is thinking, but few are asking...

I had an idea a while ago. A lofty idea. I was thinking about writing a set of songs - I don't know how many - set to the text of the Catholic mass (in Latin), and set to only guitar and voice. I haven't started, but I think it could be cool. I remember singing a Bach mass in high school... and I think many people are actually more familiar with the Latin than they think. Who knows, I might forget about it in a week. Or, I might release a CD in 8 years which goes double platinum and gets rave reviews in the contemporary Christian music world.

That's it for now. Download the song "Comin' Where I'm From" by Anthony Hamilton.

There you have it. I am quite excited for the classes... it shold be an interesting semester. I am still on a "waiting list" for a class on Islam which would take the place of Intro to Comm, but we'll see about that.